The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-16
THE MORNING NEWS: FRIDAY. DECEMBER Is, 1887.
1t was then that the following story was

1t was then that the following story was
related:
In the fall of 1889 n party of Mexicans
were travelling through what is now Butte
county, their destination being the valley
where the town of Chico now stands. The
train of horses and wagons with which the
men and women were journeying in the
slow style of that day belonged to a
wealthy Spadiard named Lape2ada. He
and his family constituted the principal
portion of the party. He had many an
acre in Alta California, and on his lands
grazed innumerable horses and cattle, but
his most priced possession was daughter,
who was then, at 16 years of age, the very
embodiment of all that soft beauty and
sensuous grace peculiar to the women OF
Castilian descent.
1t was natural for men to fall in love
with her. Like all girls with the warm,
passionate blood of Mexico coursing in her
veins, her bodily DEVELOPMENT had been
rapid her affections had ripened early, and
at the age of 10 she was already woman.
Among those who were her worshipers
were an American named Thomas Lansing,
who had been born in Vermont, and a
Scotchman named Harry McGruigan.
They were constantly near her, and the in
tiuence of her presence never allowed their
love to COOL McGruigan had more oppor-
and advance his suit, since he was secretary
to Don Lapezada, and took his meals at
table with the family. Lansing was the
wagon boss, and had general charge of the
caravan while on the road. Both had lived
in Mexico and among the Mexicans for a
long time, and were as familiar with the
language as native.
McGruigan was a pleasant wooer, besides
being much handsomer than Lansing, and
coon tha latte that his t.iyul was smiled
upon, while he himself had none OF the
girls regard. Naturally fiery tempered,
Lansing conceived violent hatred for the
Scotchman, and never missed chance to
seek row with McGruigan. Throughout
the journey he had repeatedly endeavored
TO involve McGruigan in trouble. 1t was
thus matters stood when the valley in which
Gridley is situated was reached There
Lansing insulted McGruigan in such a man
ner that the latter yielded to his angry feel
ings and challenged the other to a duel.
This was just what Lansing desired. He
had been waiting for the moment when he
might XII his successful rival ever since the
lovely senorita had let the Scotchman
know that her heart was all his own.
None of the usual formalities of the code
were needed for such an encounter as the
men proposed. They repaired to a grove
of timber then occupying the site of what
after short space had been measured off,
began shooting at each other with their pis
tolls. Three shots were fired by each man.
The third bullet from Lansing's pistol was
effective The ambition of his hatred had
been satisfied, as the leaden pellet entered
McGruigan's brain, and he fell dead.
Lansing himself had received bullet in his
left arm, and one shot from McGruigan's
weapon had carried away the lobe of his
right ear.
Having satisfied himself that McGruigan
was dead and would trouble him no longer.
Lansing turned to leave the spot. He had
replaced his pistol in his belt and given a
last hasty glance at the face of the dead
man, when from behind the trees appeared
the girl herself. She crept up behind
Lansing and stabbed him in the neck with
a stiletto, severing the jugular vein. He
sank on the grass and died. The girl had
noticed the two men leaving camp, had been
attracted to the scene of the duel by the
sound of the firing, and had arrived there
in time to see the man she loved fall lifeless
to the ground. The fate of the girl herself
seems to have been forgotten.
The pistol barrel now on exhibition is sup
posed TO be the identical one used by Nc
Gruigan in that bloody contest.